City prepares for tour
Published 7:00 am Thursday, June 4, 2015
On June 12th at 10 a.m. the first wave of more than 4,000 cars on the Hot Rod Power Tour will be arriving in Picayune.
The cars will be making a stop in Picayune as they travel from Gulfport to Baton Rouge.
The tour just finalized its plan to stop in Picayune last week, so Code Enforcement Officer Tom Milar is asking for community assistance to prepare.
“We need to put our best foot forward, and we need everybody working together to pull this off,” said Milar.
Another reason this is a significant event for Picayune is the money it will bring to the city, said Milar.
Milar said he is expecting a large turnout, because this is the last leg of the tour.
The cars will enter Picayune on Highway 43 North, and the first wave will be brought into the city with a police escort, said Milar.
Milar said Police Chief Bryan Dawsey will bring in extra personal that day, and thinks it might be a good idea for everyone to follow suit.
“The local restaurants probably need to bring in extra workers that day,” said Milar.
There will be a catering company coming from New Orleans the day of the tour, which will be setting up in Crosby Commons, said Milar. However, only the east end of Crosby Commons will be used for the event as the west end was recently sodded.
“There will be no cars parked in Crosby Commons, we are strictly using it as the food area,” said Milar.
The issue of where all the cars will be parked is still being worked out, however the tentative plan is to park them down Elizabeth Street, Ruby Street, West Canal Street, Magnolia Street and down GoodYear Boulevard, said Picayune Main Street Director Reba Beebe.
Beebe said the city of Picayune is also urging local businesses and restaurants to hang welcome banners outside their establishments for the tour.